


what a waste of a lovely night

by supersoft



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Dialogue Heavy, Fight Scene, La La Land, M/M, Script Format, Unconventional Format, all thanks to my friend aaku, she fully inspired this, yes this is the fight scene from lalaland maxiel version
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:42:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29854110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersoft/pseuds/supersoft
Summary: no offense to ryan gosling and emma stone but maxiel hits different
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen
Kudos: 7





	what a waste of a lovely night

CLOSE ON: The record player. An old jazz track. We see Daniel and  
Max seated at the table -- eating, drinking, laughing.

MAX (CONT'D)  
Feels so good to be home.

DAN  
Stay.

He smiles.

MAX  
How's rehearsal going?

DAN  
I'm nervous.

MAX  
Why?

DAN  
Because...  
(a beat)  
What if people show up?

MAX  
Fuck `em!

Laughter. Then --

MAX (CONT'D)  
You're nervous about what they think?

DAN  
I'm nervous to be up on a stage and  
perform in front of people. I'm  
terrified.

MAX  
They should be so lucky to see it.  
(then,)  
It's going to be incredible. I can't  
wait.

DAN  
I can.

A smile. Beat.

DAN (CONT'D)  
What time do you leave in the morning?

MAX  
6:45.

DAN  
Ugh.

MAX  
Yep. Towcester.

DAN  
Towcester?

MAX  
(nods)  
It’s where Silverstone is. You should come.

DAN  
To the Grand Prix?

MAX  
Yeah, you could knock that off your  
bucket list.

Dan laughs.

DAN  
Wish I could.

A beat.

MAX  
Why can't you?

DAN  
Come to the GP?

MAX  
Yeah.

DAN  
Because I have to rehearse.

MAX  
Can't you rehearse anywhere? There’s space in my driver room.

He looks at Max, head tilted.

DAN  
You mean anywhere you are?

MAX  
...I -- I guess...

DAN  
Well, all my stuff is here and my show's  
in a few weeks and -- I don't know, it  
doesn't seem practical...

MAX  
Right... I just -- we're going to have to  
do things so we can see each other. We  
never see each other.

DAN  
I know, but when are you done?

MAX  
...What do you mean?

DAN  
When are you done with the Porsche stuff?

MAX  
I– as soon as we're done with this season I start training for the next one.

Daniel looks at him. Doesn't seem to understand.

MAX (CONT'D)  
I do the training so I can come back strong next season and achieve more.

Beat. Daniel takes this in.

DAN  
So it's...the long haul?

MAX  
...What does that mean?

DAN  
I mean the long haul -- like, you're  
going to be in this Porsche thing for a long time.

MAX  
What did you think I was going to do?

DAN  
I don't know, I didn't think you would– 

MAX  
You didn't think i’d be successful.

DAN  
No, that's not what I meant. What I meant  
was -- this Supercup thing -- you're going to be travelling  
for -- what, months now? 

MAX  
I mean, feasibly -- I could be for a couple years.

Beat.

DAN  
Do you like what you’re doing?

MAX  
I don't know how that matters.

DAN  
It matters if you're going to give up  
your dream to be in it for years.

MAX  
I’m not giving up, I’m working towards it. Do you like what i’m doing?

DAN  
Yes. I do.  
(beat)  
I just didn't think you did.

MAX  
Yeah, well, I --

DAN  
And now I hear you're going to be on the  
road for years, and I'm --

MAX  
What are you doing? Why are you doing  
this?

DAN  
What do you mean why am I doing this?

MAX  
This is what you wanted from me.

DAN  
To be in Porsche Supercup?

MAX  
To have a steady job, to be racing.

DAN  
Yes, I wanted you to have a job so you  
could take care of yourself and work towards F1. You're saying years now.

MAX  
So I'm doing that. So why aren't we  
celebrating?

DAN  
Why aren't you in Formula cars?

MAX  
You said yourself I had to practice and get experience to keep going and I can’t afford–

DAN  
Get a loan, a sponsor!

MAX  
\-- to spend my savings on this. Not everyone has rich parents.

A beat. Daniel is hurt. 

DAN  
That’s not what I meant, you know there are ways.

MAX  
(not listening to him)  
What am I supposed to do? Go back to retail and save up money to try for a dream that probably won”t work out?

DAN  
It will work out, if you believe in yourself and your dreams you could make it!

MAX  
Not in my experience.

A beat. Daniel realizes he's getting nowhere. A moment of  
quiet. Then --

MAX (CONT'D)  
Anyway -- it's time to grow up. You know?  
This is what I'm doing. If you had a  
problem, I wish you would've said  
something earlier, before I signed on the  
fucking dotted line.

DAN  
(trying again)  
You had a dream that you were sticking  
to, that --

MAX  
This is the dream!

DAN  
This is not your dream.

MAX  
Guys like me go their whole lives and  
never make it outside of feeder series. I'm doing something  
most people can only dream of. What is wrong with that?

DAN  
Why do you care so much about being liked  
\-- ?

MAX  
(finally bursting--)  
You're an actor, who are you to talk?!

Silence. We suddenly realize --

\-- the record has finished. You can hear the needle scratch  
against it now -- back and forth, back and forth. Max  
looks at Daniel.

A moment. Finally --

MAX (CONT'D)  
Maybe you liked me more when I was a  
broken failure because it made you feel better  
about yourself.

Daniel flinches, looks back at him. Can't believe he said that. Tears  
starting to well in his eyes. He tries to suppress them.

DAN  
Are you kidding?

MAX  
No.

They stare at each other.

Then -- all of a sudden -- the FIRE ALARM blares.

Max turns and sees smoke billowing from the KITCHEN. A  
dish in the oven has started to burn.

Max rises, springs toward the kitchen -- then sees Daniel  
grabbing his things.

MAX (CONT'D)  
Wait --

But he's out the door. It slams shut, as Max pulls the  
burnt apple pie from the oven.

**Author's Note:**

> this is entirely dedicated to aaku, she made this happen. such a lovely concept with so much heart breaking potential.  
> if you notice how fucked the formatting is no you don't
> 
> tumblr: @mushroomlance


End file.
